Crowdfunding is getting less risky as failure rates fall dramatically, according to Beauhurst January 27, 2016 Crowdfunding is getting less risky, as the failure rate of equity-crowdfunded seed-stage companies in the UK falls to an all-time low. The start-ups using crowdfunding platforms to raise capital have become more successful, reducing the risk for investors, according to the latest data from Beauhurst, which tracks venture capital activity. Read more: The equity crowdfunding refresher: An investor's guide [...]
Number of people worried they’ll never be able to afford to retire increases January 27, 2016 We talk a lot about the amount of pressure the younger generation are under – but those nearing retirement age have it just as hard, it turns out. A new report suggests that the number of people who said they're worried they may never be able to completely retire has risen to 12 per cent of [...]
Aberdeen Asset Management chairman Roger Cornick retires as fund management firm warns on market outlook January 27, 2016 Aberdeen Asset Management chairman Roger Cornick is to retire at the end of the financial year, the group said this morning, as it warned on the outlook amid ongoing market volatility. Cornick, who has been on the board of the fund manager since 2004 and chairman since 2009, will step down on 30 September, when Simon Troughton, who is [...]
Bloomberg innovators 2016 list: These are the most innovative businesses in the UK – From coffee creators to fintech leaders January 26, 2016 More than 50 businesses have been named the most innovative in Britain credited with changing the way we live, work and think. Leading fintech startups, creative coffee makers and bionic hand creators, are just some of those to have been chosen by a group of leading investors and entrepreneurs including Saul Klein and Rohan Silva. [...]
Low interest rates more of a challenge to defined benefit pension schemes across the EU than people living longer, says pensions watchdog January 26, 2016 Postponed interest rate rises will be the real cause of problems for those providing defined benefit (DB) pensions, not people living longer. According to results released today from a stress test on occupational pensions by the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA), DB schemes showed greater sensitivity to sudden falls in interest rates and rises in inflation [...]
Crowdfunding site SyndicateRoom joins forces with angel investors on Gust, the world’s largest investor network January 26, 2016 SyndicateRoom, the UK-based crowdfunding platform, has announced a partnership with Gust, the world's largest online community of early stage investors and entrepreneurs. The two companies will pool their networks, allowing UK-based companies crowdfunding on the sites to access a larger pool of investors. Goncalo de Vasconcelos, CEO and co-founder of SyndicateRoom, said: Our partnership with Gust is based [...]
How the next mayor can turn London into a truly digital city January 26, 2016 In a little over three months, Londoners will elect a new mayor. When we last went to the polls in 2012, London’s tech industry was only just starting to bloom, but since then it has gone on to become the driving force of the capital’s economy. The next mayor will take the helm of the undisputed [...]
Our savings slump is lowering our productivity – and even highly paid individuals are financially vulnerable January 25, 2016 We’re nearly there: long after the Christmas credit card bills landed, January’s payday is finally in sight for most of us. Many of us will have tightened our belts this month metaphorically as well as literally this month after a festive overspend. It’s not a pleasant experience. But new SMF research suggests it could also be damaging [...]
Three very important lessons from a startup investor January 25, 2016 We’ve learned a lot about investing in startups from doing just that in more than 200 early stage tech companies across the globe over nearly a decade. Seedcamp has backed a UK fintech leader (Transferwise), now-familiar companies (eMoov and BorrowMyDoggy) and, potentially, the next Uber (our latest intake – find out more here). Whether you’re an angel, working in venture [...]
Here’s what early and seed-stage investor Seedcamp’s portfolio looks like: UK tech startups, fintech and blockchain January 25, 2016 One of the UK and Europe's leading investors in startups at an early stage has lifted the lid on its portfolio of companies. Eight-year old Seedcamp which initially started life as an accelerator but now concentrates on first-round funding, has backed more than 200 companies, which went on to pick up a further $365, in their next stage. Investments include [...]
